Door-brace



(No Model.)

G. A. GOODRIGH.

DOOR BRAGE.

No. 533,801. Patented Feb. 5, 1895.

UNiTnD STATES PATENT rrrcn..

GUSTAVUS A. GOODRICH, OF GREENVICH, NEWT YORK.

DOOR-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,801, dated February 5` 1895. Application tiled November 6, 1894. Serial No. 528,090. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GUsTAvUs A. Goon- RICH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenwich, in the county of YVashington and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Door-Brace, of which the following is a specification.

This invention contemplates the prd action of an appliance which may be attached to doors, and which will be capable of counteracting the tendency thereof to sag, and thereby prevent such operation, or which may be attached to a door which has already sagged and operate thereon so as to cause it to assume its proper forni. Ordinarily this sagging of doors invariably takes place, and makes itnecessary to cut away portions of the door so as to prevent it from binding against the door sill.

My invention operates principally when the door has been sagged and to cause it to assuine its normal position, since its positive application before the sag takes place would probably result in a distortion of the door in the opposite direction.

Previous to my invention it has been suggested to prevent the sag by the application of rigid braces, and these devices may or may not have been successful, so far as my device is concerned, since it contemplates the correction of the already sagged door, as distinguished from the prevention thereof. It may indeed be applied simultaneously with the sagging operation, and this will generally be the course taken, as will be hereinafter described.

To these ends the invention consists in a spring plate or bar having one end rigidly seated upon the inner side of the door, and having the remaining and free end connected to the door near the outer side, said free end having a tendency upwardly which will operate to raise the said outer side of the door. The appliance is so constructed that it may be applied to the door when the same is built, but not made to operate until the necessity arises. This makes the correction of sagged doors or the counter-action of the sagging operation an easy matter.

In the drawings: Figure 1 represents a per spective View of the upper portion of a door showing my device applied thereto; Fig. 2, a sectional view showing the device applied to the door, but not operating positively; Fig. 3, a similar view showing the device applied and in the position which it assumes when operating; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the device showing it detached from the door; and Fig. 5, a perspective view of a second form of my invention.

The reference numeral 1, indicates the door which may be of any construction, subject, of course, to one which is susceptible of the influence of sagging, and which is hung in the usual way so as to swing on a vertical axis.

Formed in the inner side of the door 1, and extending from a point just below the upper side of the same, upwardly to said upper side, is the groove 2, which is continued horizontally in the upper side of the door. This horizontal portion of the groove 2 extends about, or perhaps a little more y than, three-fourths the width of the door, and gradually decreases in depth as it proceeds toward the outer side of the door, its front or outer end being about three times deeper than the inner end of the groove.

3, indicates the brace, which is formed of an integral .piece ot steel shaped to comprise a vertical butt or main portion ct, and a horizontaland reduced portion b. The butt ais secured in the vertical portion of groove 2, by means of the screw 4, which passes through the butt and into the door. The size of the butt is equal to that of the groove 2 at this point so that the butt Will lie snugly in place and flush with the inner side of the door.

The horizontal portion b, of the brace, is formed with two screw holes, located at its ends respectively; and the inner hole is provided for the screw 5, which is passed through the brace and into the inner vertical beam of the door. This arrangement of the brace is essential, since the inner end of the saine must be secured to a part of the door which is not affected by the sag else the free end would have no influence on the sagged portion.

6, indicates a screw which passes through the opening at the outer end ot' the part Z2, of the brace, and into the top rail or beam of the door. When the brace is not operating positively the screw 6, is in such a position that IOO 2, and cause it to draw the outer side of the' door upwardly.

Fig. 2 shows the braceat rest or lush with the top rail, and Fig. 3, shows the brace operating; and there it will be seen that the partl b, is down in the groove 2, and operating to draw the outer side of the door up. It will be understood that the degree to which the .screw 6, is moved down will regulatethe amount of power applied andthe extent to which the door is raised. It will also be understood that the butt a, and the part of the portion` 2 1, which is directly adjacent to the same, are rigidly secured to the inner rail or beam of vthe door, and that this is essential since otherwise the action of part b, would be countcracted by the reactionv of thesame and no useful result attained.

Fig. 5, shows a second form of the brace which consists in providing' the part 6 with a longitudinal rib 7, which operates, as will be understood, to strengthen` it and to make it capable of lifting the doors with greater strength.

While my invention has been here` shown and described only in connection with doors it will be apparent that it is .equally applicable to Window. shutters and other analogous structures. This change is so obvious that no further description thereof is necessary.

Having described my invention,y what I claim is 1. A 'door brace consisting of a spring plate or bar capable of having one end secured to the inner portion of the docr and of having vits remaining end secured to the outer por.-

tion of the door, the said plate ory bar being constructed with a spring tendency so that the outer end will operate to raise that portion of the door to which it is attached, substantially as described.

2. A door brace consisting of a spring plate or bar shaped to comprise a butt or main portion and a reduced and elongated portion extending at right angles to the butt or main portion/the said butt or main portion and the free end of the elongated portion being provided With means for securing them to one inner corner of the door and to the adjacent outer portion thereof respectively, the elongated portion having a spring tendency upwardly whereby the outer portion of the door is raised,` substantially as described.

3. A door brace consisting of a spring plate or bar capable of having oneend secured to the inner portion'oi"` the door, and. of having its remaining` endsecuredl toA the outer portion of the docr,.thesaid plate or bar being constructed-With a spring tendencyl so that theouterendwill operatetoraise that portion of the door to which. it is: attached, the plate or'bar also having a. strenthening rib extendinglongitudina/lly with italld Operating to lendstrength andrigiditythereto, substantially as. described.A

4.', A door brace consisting of a lspring plate or bar having one end secured in a groove formed in the upper. sideI of the door7 said groove extending fromV the innerv portion of the door outwardly to a' point nearv the outer portion, the Outer end of the plate or bar having a normal tendency upward and provided with means whereby it maybe made to lie fiush with the upper edge of the dooror at any point inthe groove-below the upper edge ofA the door5 substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim theforegoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signaturein the presence of two Witnesses.v

GU S'IAVUSV A. GOODRICH.

VVitneSSes:

JOHN lVIULmIeYArI,4 HIRAM C. HILL. 

